The Forest
by Goddess Of Pain and Suffering
Summary: what do you do when children want to hear about your life? Even if it is more surreal then anyone can imagaine. Were it started when love was trapped in a dark forest and the world was in a never ending state of war? R
1. Prologue: Tell Us A Story

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugi-OH! 'Cause if I did then it would strange and involve lots of animals.

Prologue: Tell Us A Story

"Come on children, it's time for bed." Malik called through the window. Three children rushed past him and quickly placed themselves in bed. "Good. Mommy and Uncle don't have to chase you again." He said under his breath. As they walked away from the now lying children they heard sighs of disappointment. He poked his head back into listen.

"You said if we were good Uncle would tell us 'The Story'." The smallest boy complained pushing his short lighting bangs from his face before turning on his stomach pouting.

"Go to sleep Yuki. We will ask Uncle in the morning during breakfast." The taller of the boys said as he wrapped his long light blonde hair into a bun and turning on his side to face the girl. After a moment light snores could be heard from Yuki and he continued speaking. "Yeah, Faith. Yuki made a good point."

"Shut up, Mystic." The girl said turning on her side stiffly. Mystic shook his head. "I was sure Daddy would tell us if we were good. I don't understand why he won't tell us "The Story." She pouted before both of them fell into the darkness known as sleep.

Malik walked towards the entrance of the house to find Bakura and the others sitting there. They looked at him and he smiled at them. "You will never guess what the children spoke of today." He said and they look at him inquisitively. "They want to know the story of our lives. From right where Marik left off last time." He said sitting down in Marik's lap. "And they want you to tell them." He said looking at Bakura. He shifted uncharacteristically before responding.

"I can't."

"Why not?" Yugi asked still as naïve as he had been then.

"Its because of him isn't it." Marik asked. Malik elbowed him in the ribs.

"Who?"

"Your a lot like Yuki, Yugi." Atemu said from beside his love. Yugi pouted and his face resembled his son even more. "He means Ryou." "Oh." Yugi said now feeling slightly more cheery yet equally gloomy.

"Think you for being blunt." Bakura snapped.

"Well you know you did leave the forest so suddenly. And we couldn't tell you what happened. We had lost so much." Malik tried to explain all over again.

"I have already heard this a hundred times. He is just gone. I will not tell the story one of you can do it." He said before reentering the house now angry again at the distant haunting memory that now consumed his mind once again.

_I love you so much. Yes. I really do love you._

At the crack of dawn the next morning, Malik and Bakura were awake in the kitchen preparing breakfast when they found three pairs of eyes upon them. The three children stared at him happily as if they were expecting something. Both Bakura and Malik ignored them at first and placed the bread in the oven and some rice into boiling water. Mystic and Yuki pushed Faith before her father until they nearly knocked into him.

"What is it?" Bakura finally asked. "Why are you up so early?"

"WE WANT THE STORY!" They exclaimed at the same time.

"Go ask Marik. He knows 'The Story" just as well as I do." He replied.

"Uncle did tell us Daddy." Faith said quietly under her father's glare. "But he… He stopped just after you entered some kind of forest. He refused to tell us anymore and said we had to ask you." Mystic and Yuki nodded.

" I cannot tell you children I am sorry." Bakura said as he headed for the door. Malik grabbed his arm. "You must tell these children. No one else understands what happened to him but you, none of us were there with you." He reminded Bakura in a whisper, who still refused. "Fine." Malik said with a smirk. "Go back to bed and I will come and wake you at breakfast. After Bakura will tell you some of "The Story" for it will take him much longer then Uncle Marik to tell you of the events that followed them entering the forest."

"Yeah!" The children screamed. They shushed after Malik hurried them back to bed, ignoring the glare that came from Bakura allowing it to eat away at his back.

Later in the morning the children came running into the kitchen followed by Atemu and Yugi. Marik and the others were already sitting at the table with the food waiting for their arrival. The children quickly at their servings of rice, beans, and bread, they smiled at Malik and Bakura before standing and washing their dishes. Then hurrying back to the table. None of the Adults had left they all staring at Bakura waiting to hear The Story as well.

"You guys really want this story don't you?" He asked as a sudden gust of wind blew through the house. Malik snorted slightly and whispered something under his breath. 'Wolves.' "Okay." Bakura said before taking a deep breath.

" It began on a road leading into a deep forest…"

-/-

Continue to Chapter 1 if you liked it.

Goddess


	2. Chapter 1: Traveling

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

* * *

" It began on a road leading into a deep forest…"

* * *

Chapter 1: Traveling

-/-

"Marik you idiot! You have gotten us lost again." Bakura shouted at the top of his lungs as two massive veins on forehead bulged out for they were pulsing from stress. "How? No better yet! Why did I let you pick the mission?" He asks himself as Marik continues to figure out where they are.

"I think we go this way." Marik said suddenly pointing in the direction of a dense forest full of trees, every shade of green, yellow, brown and red. The trees blew softly in the wind and the high grass was broken enough for it to be a trail or old road.

"Why don't we go the other way?" Bakura asks kicking up some dirt. "The road is newer and there are no trees. Plus a sign!"

"I wanna go this way." Marik said pointing to the forest. His eyes watered up and he gave his partner of nearly six years irresistible puppy eyes. "Marik that's not gonna work-"

**Some time later**

"How in The Seven Hells did you get me to go down this old, forgotten road?" Bakura asked his friend but got no reply. He knew Marik was just excited to be in the woods after all they had not been near one since their home was destroyed in an angry spirits demise. He sighed when a sudden cry for help caught his attention. Marik's head as well was up in the air now listening. It came again from somewhere to their left, a loud pulsing scream. They nodded to each other and despite not knowing the area took off after the person calling for assistance.

They came to the edge of a river where a young man was lying underneath a now seriously wounded horse being crushed to death. He wore the armor of a noble with the symbol of the local family. As they approached they were stopped when out of the forest came two wolves and a young man.

This man was about slightly above average height with very bright alert green eyes and a slim yet muscular body covered in pale skin. He wore a simple cloth gown, commonly worn by villagers, and two pairs of earrings, the lower pair were spiral and made of solid gold while the higher pair were simple silver arrows which dwindled down to mix with the golden spirals. His hair was long white and surprisingly well kept. The bangs were held back by a simple golden crown, which he wore around his head.

A wolf stood on either side of the teen. They were three times the size of any wolf they had ever seen with their long muzzles big enough to swallow Bakura's entire arm and half of his chest in one bite. The one to the left of the teen was pure ivory, except for the single black paw on its back left leg and it's ear tips, colored with flaming golden eyes. While the one to the right was ebony from end to end minus the two white tips of his ears and paws. They growled low as the horse neighed and flailed its hooves. The teen walked among the wolves easily. He spoke to the boy saying words that caused the man to attempt an escape even quicker from the struggling stallion.

"Please, Prince of Wolves, forgive me. I meant no disrespect." The boy pleaded. The boy continued to advance. Slowly with graceful steps until he stopped and his earrings let out a low chime sound that echoed through the forest. Slowly he approached the horse while the wolves waited behind him bearing fangs. He placed a hand tenderly upon the stallion's fine brow, stroking it as he cooed him to stand. Once he was up his back leg collapsed. He was about to fall upon the Prince when the two wolves launched and balanced themselves around it.

The Prince spoke in a cruel tongue. "Tell your Lord, the Forest Spirits are watching closely." The man whimpered as the Prince walked away and six average sized wolves appeared from the brush and began to encircle him. He drew his sword but his legs were still reasonably broken.

Bakura and Marik hurried from their hidden spot in the trees to help. The wolves bore vicious fangs and disturbed growls. They seemed almost afraid to move but were going to stand there ground and kill the injured boy. Marik slowly moved forward and pulled a flash bomb from his pocket. He pulled the fuse causing the inner wiring to activate. He then threw it through the wolves so it sloped just short behind them. The wolves' eyes followed it. Suddenly a howl sounded through the forest and the wolves ran from the blaring glare that came from the bomb. The man too shielded his eyes.

"Ha. The flash bomb gets them every time." Marik said with a smile as he walked towards the wounded man. As he got closer he realized the person looked somewhat familiar. "Hey, Bakura," He said catching his guarding comrade's attention. "Yes." "It's Soku." "Really?" "Yeah."

The boy looked at them again before his realize them. "Oh Gods. You have no idea how happy I am to see you. Those wolves would have devoured me alive. Looks like I owe you again." He said with a small smile. His short black hair still clang to his body in a frightful manner, as his deep green eyes were hollowed out as the fearful expression still haunted his face.

"That's the Damn Truth. If I knew it was you I wouldn't have saved you." Marik said crossing his chest. "What the hell are you doing out in the woods alone? And who was that boy you were talking with?"

The hurried expression over came Soku's face. Then he tried to stand but failed miserably. As Marik lifted him onto his back he explained. He was out looking for a lost war hound, code name for Pegasus' hired mercenaries, who disappeared into the forest just days after meeting the Prince. The Prince of the Wolves was nothing more then a legend until the day he appeared. He recalled that day to us as if it had happened yesterday.

He appeared in the middle of the square standing upon the high post of the clock tower. He wore the hide of a wolf upon his head and a mask that resembles that of a wolf. He had three wolves circling the tower watching for insures as he told us to stop interfering with the forest or it would die. And as the forest dies so do the spirits the people fear even though most of the spirits minus the carnivorous ones are normally peaceful. He also said the Guardian of the Forest is watching our movements and if we disrespect the forest in anyway and one of the spirits find out we will be killed. We though he was crazy at first until he made that strange chime sound and all the wolves ran back into the forest with him riding on the largest one's back.

"Really." Marik said looking over at Bakura. "And this is the boy they want us to hunt down?" Bakura shrugged.

"What?" Soku asked nearly falling off Marik's back.

"Calm down we're almost at your home and left the forest." Marik said when he froze in his tracks. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes but keep walking." Bakura said and they did just that until they were more then halfway thought the plains to reach the City of Domino and the drawbridge was open. The men welcomed Soku back and Marik and Bakura on a job well done.

"So there's your story." Bakura said as he dropped his dishes in the sink. "Now if you don't mind I am going to be at Temple so don't bother me until Dinner."

"But Daddy. What about the story and the Prince and Uncle and You?" Faith asked.

"In time. You too are so much alike. Never wanting to wait for anything. Always acting before thinking."

"Dinner then." She waved good-bye to her father as he walked away still smirking.

-/-

Hope you enjoyed R&R. Reviews will be taken to heart to tell me what you think.

Goddess


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